Arctic Action LIVE!

It’s certainly a mouthful, but it’s also the new name – and face – of Arctic destruction today. This giant Russian platform is set to be the first to try and commercially produce offshore Arctic oil anywhere on the planet.

This is why today, at 70 degrees North in the Pechora Sea, activists are occupying this monster platform and preventing it from drilling.

Read Kumi's open letter to the people of Russia:

"Dear Russian friends,

You may be aware that this morning at approximately 4am, five activists and I scaled the Prirazlomnaya oil platform to take peaceful action against Gazprom’s work in the Arctic, to highlight the dangers of its plans to drill here in the Pechora Sea." Read more...

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Follow the live updates :

Last Update form the Arctic Rising - 18:30 CET : 15 hours after boarding the Gazprom Arctic oil platform in the Pechora Sea, and interrupting the platform's operation, the team of six Greenpeace International activists including Kumi Naidoo voluntarily left the platform to avoid unnecessary risk in these freezing Arctic conditions.The same cannot be said of Gazprom. The climbers were constantly hosed with water by Gazprom workers who appeared more intent on endangering the safety of peaceful activists than operating the platform above.

The bravery of all of these climbers has interrupted a major Arctic oil operation, and by doing so brought the world's attention to this era defining issue.

15:02 CET : Update from Kumi: "The hosing is now very intense and our team right now is doing our best to keep the water out. But we are going to stick it out as long as we can. At least the walruses below are good company, and a stark reminder of the risk an oil spill poses to the beautiful and unique wildlife here."

13:05 CET : Update from the ship: it seems that authorities hold their attempts to remove us - but they are harrassing the team with water - They need your support, spread the word, and become an Arctic Defender !

12:00 CET : Second helicopter en route to silence activists

11:30 CET : A coast guard helicopter arrived on to the rig ... More to follow.

09:30 CET Sini, Basil, Terry, Lars and Kumi (from Germany, Finland, USA, Canada, Germany and South Africa respectively) are currently safe and well, securely anchored in place to the superstructure of Gazprom’s monster Arctic drilling platform the Prirazlomnaya in the Pechora Sea. The climbers are in great spirits, have supplies to last for an extended stay and are in a good position for future re-supplies.

This morning at 4 am local time, a team of Greenpeace International activists including Executive Director of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo, boarded energy giant Gazprom’s Arctic oil platform Prirazlomnaya off the northeastern coast of Russia in the Pechora Sea, interrupting its operations.

Action at Gazprom's Arctic Oil Platform

A team of 6 Greenpeace activists including Executive Director of Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo, board energy giant Gazprom’s Arctic oil platform Prirazlomnaya off the North-eastern coast of Russia in the Pechora Sea. After 15 hours the team voluntarily left the platform to avoid unnecessary risk. In freezing temperatures, the climbers were constantly hosed with water by Gazprom workers who appeared more intent on endangering the safety of peaceful activists than operating the platform above. Gazprom looks set to begin full commercial drilling operations by early next year, becoming the first ever company to start commercial oil production in the offshore Arctic.